FOREST SCHOOL

PROGRAMMES & CAMPS

The only source of knowledge is experience.by Albert Einstein

YES Leadership Senior Programme

This is a 1 week nature, business and tertiary based exploration experience exclusively for 15 - 18 year old international students. This experience is for young people who want to get a better understanding of what it would be like to live and study at university in New Zealand.

YES Leadership Junior Programme

This is a 3 week experience (1 week in Nature, 2 weeks at a New Zealand School) exclusively for 12 - 14 year old international students. This experience is for young people who want to get a better understanding of what it would be like to live and study at high school in New Zealand.

ProKiwi Camps for International Students

This is a short term (3 day, 2 night) camp for long term international students studying in New Zealand high schools and not sitting NCEA exams. It is an exclusive Kiwiana outdoor experience at Whatipu Lodge and surrounding coastline and native forest areas.

YES Forest Adventure Camps

We do not simply move the content of teaching from the classroom into nature, nor do we design a narrow single-plank bridge from A to B for our learners. We use nature to inspire curiosity and curiosity among participants. Explore different academic areas in the forest, inspire new points of interest.

YES Ocean Adventure Camps

Ocean is mysterious to most people, which more and more inspires enthusiasm for exploration and inquiry. We use the marine resources of the South Pacific Ocean to teach ecosystems and think about the ecological crisis and the threat of climate change that humans face.

Open Day Tour

Visiting a forest school is the best way to experience our daily teaching and lifestyle. Take this opportunity to discuss with our tutors about future education, parent-child relationships and any other topics of interest.

NATURE BASED LEARNING

When one tugs at a single thing in nature, one finds it attached to the rest of the world. by John Muir

OUR TEAM & SUPPORTERS

How different everything is when you are with the right people!by Kate Greenaway

NIGEL ZHANG

FOUNDER

Before moving to Auckland with his family, Nigel had implemented more than 30 large sustainable energy projects in China. He is an environmental auditor for the United Nations and a lover of New Zealand culture, art and nature.

RYAN MATARSE-MCCULLUM

PRINCIPAL

West Auckland’s native bush is Ryan’s backyard. His experience developing and facilitating youth programs in local and international schools, government and NGO organisations provide a strong foundation for knowledge, skill and safety.

HAISHAN GAO

CROSS-CULTURE COACH

Living with her family in West Auckland, Haishan holds an International Coaching Federation Certificate. Following on from owning a successful Chinese advertising agent, her focus is now on supporting international students and parents with cross cultural growth and opportunity.

SIR BOB HARVEY

SUPPORTER

Sir Bob is the best friend and biggest supporter of Forest School. When we started, it is him who helped us to find a warm accommodation for our campers in the forest. His leadership, creativity and great passion for the environment is treasure to us.

RON HEPWORTH

SUPPORTER, STORY TELLER

Founder and manager of non-profit plant nursery. For the past two decades or so Ron and Ryan have teamed up with camps to teach their children beautiful stories. Ron's collection of whale beaks, gannet bills and other natural specimens make children more put it down.

GREGOR HOHEISEL

SUSTAINABLE CITY & COMMUNITY

German architect, surfer, coast lifeguard. Gregor is one of the most popular guests at the camp. He discusses with our campers sustainable urban planning and green building design. This is exactly one of the courses he teaches at the University of Auckland.

MORE FRIENDS

IT'S STILL GROWING

We think people are the cornerstone of a great school. Therefore, we are trying hard to find more friends who are like us. Their interest and enthusiasm are the greatest wealth and motivation of Forest School.

INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORTERS

SHARING THE GOAL

We explore how to bring the knowledge, values and lifestyle developed at Forest School to traditional campuses. More schools are joining us and co-cultivating a responsible future generation under the UNESCO Global Action Plan (GAP) and Education 2030.

BECOMING THE BEST YOU CAN

If you can't get a miracle, become one.by Nick Vujicic

Leadership

Leadership development is an lifelong process. Our outdoor nature based learning camps provide international students with facilitated group experiences to assist in discovering their own personal leadership potential.

Sustainable Future

Because sustainability is a vast topic underpinning all aspects of our world, we assist students to identify how sustainability impacts each of their own individual lives. Each YES Camp experience invites the student to explore sustainability in a group context using the natural environment, shared culture, education and career choices, business structures and future problem solving as an unfolding inquiry.

Multicultural Competencies

The world is getting smaller. It’s more critical than ever for people to develop, and retain multicultural leadership that can navigate both the opportunities and challenges of a more connected world. During YES Camp each student explores their own cultural choices and how these are shaping the identity of future generations.